Thill-coupling



No. 626,622. Patented luml 6, |899. D. W. LINSTBUM.

(Afxplication tiled Apr, 26, 1899,;

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE..

OTTO W. LINSTRUM, OF PERDITE, ILLINOIS.

THlLL-COUPLINGA.

SECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,622, dated June 6,189x9. Application filed April 26,1899. Serial No. 714,512. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO W. LIVNSTR'UM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Perdue, in the county of Ford and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Thill- Coupling, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to thill-couplings, and has for its object toprovide such a device which may be readily positioned and removed and inwhich the ends of the axle-clip are relieved of strain by disposing theline of draft above the same and against the rear side of the axle. V

A further object is to utilize the draft to positively lock the deviceagainst accidental loosening.

With these objects in View the present invention consists in thecombination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, shown in theaccornpanying drawings, and particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the coupling. Fig. 2is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspectiveView of -the thill-iron and link. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view ofthe tie-bar for the axle-clip'. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view ofthe clamp for locking the device in its operative position.

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters in allthe figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates Yan axle having theusual clip 2 fitted thereto in the ordinary manner. The tie-bar for theends of the clip is designated vby 3, being Ilat,as usual, but extendinga suitable distance both in front and rear of the axle. Near its frontend, adjacent to the clip and upon its upper face, the tie-bar isprovided with an upstanding shoulder 4, having its front upright face 5concaved vertically and rounded evenly into the upper face of thetie-bar, whereby an open-front socket or recess is provided for theseating or reception of the thill-iron. It is preferable to line thissocket with a strip of leather 6, secured to the front end of thetie-bar by a suitable fastening 7. At its rear end the tie-bar isprovided with a reduced tongue 8, upon which is adapted to be mountedthe clamp for fastening the device in its operative position.

By reference particularly to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the clampcomprises a substantially rectangular body 9, provided at one end with ahook 10, having the opening or mouth thereof disposed upwardly, and atthe opposite end of the body with an upwardly-extending operatingthumb-lever 11, which is slightly inclined toward the opposite or hookend of the body. The latter is further provided with a socket or recess12, opening downward through the bottom of the body and outward throughthe lever end thereof. In mounting the clamp upon the tie-bar the tongue8 of the latter is loosely received into the socket or recess 12 of thebody of the clamp and a pivot-pin 13 is passed transversely through thelatter and the tongue intermediate of the hook 10 and lever 1l, wherebythe clamp is pivotally mounted upon the tie-bar in rear of the axle. y

As best illustrated in Fig. 3, the thill-iron 14 is of common form,having the usual pivotbolt 15 extending transversely through thethill-eye 16 and projecting at opposite sides thereof. Pivotallyconnected to the thill-iron is a substantially U-shaped link 17, havingits opposite ends flattened, as at 18, and provided withtransversely-alined openings to receive the ends of the pivot-bolt 15.

In the operation of the device, the tie-bar and clamp being mounted ashereinbefore described, the thill-eye 16 is seated in the socket formedby the -upstanding shoulder 4 and the end of the tie-bar being receivedbetween vthe opposite sides of the link and pro jecting beneath the eyeof the thill-iron. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that thethill-irons are adapted to rest upon the front portions of therespective tie-bars,and thereby support the ends of the thills away fromthe ground or floor, and thereby prevent accidental breaking of thethills. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the linkextends obliquely downward and rearward beneath the axle and embracingthe tiebar. The clamp having been previously thrown into a verticalposition, (shown in dotted lines,) the closed end ofthe link is engagedwith the hook l() of the clamp, and by operation of the thumb-lever 11the clamp may be thrown around into its locked position, as indicated inthe full lines. The lever is adapted to engage against the rear side ofthe axle-clip, and by reason of the rearward IOO lss

inclination of'the lever the line of draft upon the link is disposedabove the pivot of the clamp, whereby the draft is adapted to bind thethumb-lever tightly against the rear side of the axle and preventaccidental loosening or disengagement of the de vice. As the thumb-leverengages the axle-clip it will be noted that the clip receives the wearof the thumb-lever, and thereby protects the wooden axle.

In order that the device may be applicable to axles of differentfsizes,the opening 19,

formed through the tie-bar in front of the vaxle for the reception ofone of the ends of the axle-clip, is elongated longitudinally.

The present invention'provides an exceed ingly effective and durablecoupling, as the draft is distributed between the ends of the axle-clipand the rear side of the axle, thus relieving the ends of the clip ofthe greater part of the strain, and thereby prolonging the life of thedevice. Furthermore, as the link engages against the under side oftheaxle and the line of draft is disposed above the pivot of the clamp thelatter is conveniently and edectively locked in the operative positionof the device.y The clamp holds the eye of the thill-iron firmly againstthe lining of the socket formed by the upstanding shoulder 4, andthereby prevents rattling of the thill-iron in the socket. As the lattersocket is open at the front thereof, the positioning and removal .of thethills is greatly facilitated thereby.

Changes in the form, proportion, size,.and the minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacriiiciiig any of the advantagesof the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is l. In athill-coupliug, the combination with an axle-clip, of a tie-bartherefor, having a socket at its front end and a clamp at its rear end,and a thill-iron carrying a link, the eye of the thill-iron beingadapted to be seated in the socket, the link to engage the clamp, andthe latter to be thrown into engagement with the axle, whereby the clampis locked in the operative position of the device, substantially asshown and described.

2. In athill-coupling, the combination with an axle-clip, of a tie-bartherefor having a socket provided at its forward end, a clamp pivoted tothe opposite end of the tie-bar in rear of the axle and provided with ahook at its rear end and an upwardlyextending thumb-lever at itsopposite end, and a thilliron, having a link pivoted thereto, the eye ofthe thill-iron being adapted to be seated in the socket, the link toengage the hook of the clamp, and the thumb-lever to be thrown intoengagement with the axle, whereby the line of draft is disposed abovethe pivot of the clamp, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a'thilLcoupling, the combination with an axle-clip, and a tie-barhaving a socket at the forward end thereof, of a clam p provided at therear end of the tie-bar, a thill-iron, and a substantially U-shaped linkpivoted at its opposite ends to the thill-iron, the latter being adaptedto be seated in the socket of the tie=bar, and the link to engage theclamp embracing the tie-bar and extending beneath and against the lowerside of the axle, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a thill-coupling, the combination withl an axle-clip, of a tie-bartherefor adapted to extend both in front and in rear of the axle 5. Inathill-coupling, the combination with an axle-clip, of a tie-bar adaptedto extend both in front and in rear of the axle and provided near itsfront end with an upstanding shoulder concaved upon its front side andforming with the tie-bar an open socket, a clamp provided upon the rea-rend of the tiebar, and a thill-iron having a link pivoted thereto andadapted' to extend beneath the axle and engage the clamp, substantiallyas shown and described.

6. In a thil1coupling,the combination of an axle-clip, a tie-bar adaptedto extend both in front and in rear of the axle and having an upstandingshoulder near its front end, a clamp pivoted to the rear end of thetie-bar and comprising a substantially rectangular body having a hook atthe rear end, and an upstanding rearwardly-inclined thumb-lever at theforward end thereof, and provided with a recess opening out through thebottom and the lever end of the body, the recess being adapted ltoloosely receive the rear end of the tie-bar, a pivot-pinfpassingtransversely through the body of the clamp and the tiebar whereby theclamp is adapted to be swung vertically, and a thill-iron having apivot. bolt extending loosely through the eye there' of, andasubstantially U-shaped link, having its ends provided withtransversely-aimed eyes pivotally receiving the respective. ends of thepivot-bolt, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OTTO NV. LINSTRUM.

Vitnesses:

FRED. NELSON, CHARLES G. SwANsoN.

IDO

IIC!

